David Sullivan admits West Ham co-owners will need to out in �40m of own money

David Sullivan has admitted West Ham’s finances are the worst of any club in the country, and revealed that the owners will have to pay £40million from their own fortunes to keep the club afloat if they're relegated.

The Hammers are three points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League, and look like they're almost certainly heading down to the Championship.

West Ham are already £80m in debt, and Sullivan said: 'The fans should know though this club is in a worse financial position than any other in the country.

'All the debts are football or bank debts secures on the stadium and training ground so there is no route via administration. West Ham really is a club where the football and bank debts exceed the value of the club.

'It’s a pretty thankless task and the criticism hurts. Should the worst happen, we will have to inject loans of £20-£40m, depending on circumstances, which will probably never be repaid. I don’t believe the supporters realise the potential real cost to us.

'Nobody out there wants to take on the burden of West Ham United. We do, as we are supporters but our resources don’t match foreign-based oligarchs who pay no UK tax.'

During their 16 years as co-owners of Birmingham, Sullivan and West Ham co-owner David Gold endured their problems, but as Hammers fans this is their most painful season yet.

'We’re not down yet but I admit it’s not looking good,' said Sullivan. 'I’ve been relegated three times before, on every occasion gaining automatic promotion the following season but this one will hurt me the most if it happens.

'David and I have taken criticism and, should we be relegated, will accept the responsibility.'

West Ham drew 1-1 at Blackburn, which nearly sealed their fate. Sullivan said: 'The support for the team on Saturday was magnificent, the best we’ve seen since we’ve been at the club.'

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David Price could be Britain's next heavyweight king, according to Frank Maloney

WITH David Haye determined to swap the boxing ring for Hollywood's red carpet after this year, the search is beginning for Britain's next heavyweight king.

The old guard of Audley Harrison, Matt Skelton, Michael Sprott and Danny Williams all tried and failed and the focus has shifted to the next generation.

Leading the charge are Dereck Chisora, who is still heartbroken at losing his big shot at Wladimir Klitschko, and Tyson Fury.

Frank Maloney, who knows a thing or two about producing world heavyweight champions after guiding Lennox Lewis to the top, feels the dark horse on the rails who could eclipse them all is David Price.

The 6ft 8ins Scouser has got his pro career back on track after an abortive start under Haye's Hayemaker Promotions and in his last outing stopped Osborne Machimana in three rounds in his first 10-rounder, which was also a Commonwealth title eliminator.

The Commonwealth gold medallist and Olympic bronze medallist has his next fight at the Liverpool Olympia on April 27 against Raphael Butler.

It is all part of Maloney's plan for the unbeaten Price, who is 9-0, to climb the rankings towards a world title shot next year.

Maloney has been in Liverpool this week to promote Price's latest contest and feels his man can be the successor to Lewis and Haye.

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He says the much-ridiculed heavyweight division is crying out for someone like Price to reinvigorate it after having the life sucked out of it by the Klitschkos.

"I'm very disappointed with the heavyweight division," he said. "Boxing is only as good as the heavyweight division and that is illustrated by the standard of boxing over in America.

"It's only now that people are realising just how good Lennox Lewis was.

"The fact that people still name Lennox Lewis whenever they're asked to name the world champion illustrates what the scene is like now.

"There will never be another Lennox Lewis in my life, but what there is going to be is a new top heavyweight in my life and my belief is that it will be David Price.

"His amateur pedigree has given him the experience and belief in himself to go all the way. I think that now is the time to let him off the leash.

"From 2012 onwards I firmly believe he will be the new dominant heavyweight in world boxing."

Bold words from Maloney. Let's see if Price can live up to them.

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Everton boss David Moyes is a target for struggling Aston Villa

By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 1:01 PM on 27th March 2011

Aston Villa will put Everton manager David Moyes top of their short list this summer, with Gerard Houllier set to leave even if the club survive in the Premier League.

Chief executive Paul Faulkner said their ‘best chance of staying up is with Gerard’, but they have reserve-team boss Kevin McDonald available as a caretaker if results continue to slide.

Target: Everton manager David Moyes is top of Aston Villa's shortlist

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Novak Djokovic brushes aside David Nalbandian in Monte Carlo Masters

Top seed Novak Djokovic eased past out-of-sorts David Nalbandian 6-2, 6-3 to reach the Monte Carlo Masters tennis semi-finals and set up a possible re-run of last year’s final against Rafael Nadal.

Nadal, who has won the Monte Carlo title every year since 2005, beat compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-2 for his 30th consecutive win in the tournament. He now faces another Spaniard, David Ferrer, a 7-5, 7-6 winner over Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber.

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